Success Stories

Get in touch with us!

Kara's Story

Kara is a 16 year old girl in the 10th grade. Life has not been very kind to her, despite the fact that she is smart and talented. At fourteen, she became involved in an internet relationship with a man who introduced her to drugs and street life. Her lack of sophistication made her easy prey and her impulsive nature added to the situation.

Many of our students find themselves in situations like Kara, where their naivety and lack of impulse control drive them into problems with school and law enforcement. Like with Kara, our skilled and compassionate teaching and counseling staff are able to identify the issues and help the students learn and practice the skills they need to break this pattern. One of the tools Kara learned was to "Stop, Think and Act" to help control her impulsiveness.

Kara became an active member of "Pink," our support program for girls. For the first time, she learned that she could ask for support and give support to other young ladies like her. "Pink" encourages girls to develop their talents and to become self-advocates. They also do projects that benefit others in the local community. The primary purpose for the group is building self-esteem, positive relationships and good decision-making. Kara and the other girls help each other in the meetings and on campus.

Kara has been attending school regularly and working very hard to get back on track with her high school credits in order to graduate. She is still not ready to take on a bigger campus where she could become overwhelmed and easily lead into trouble, but that day will come. Kara is determined to take control of her life and her academics. She works hard in class and with her counselors and the staff make sure that she is aware of the progress she is making. Her home life has improved and her parents are very supportive of the program and the staff. Kara earned a 3.5 grade average this past year and was successful in passing the CAHSEE Exam. She has come a long way in one year, and we look forward to more growth in the future.